Radio station-finding mechanism



May 15, 1928.

1,669,575 A. F. SANFORD RADIO STATION FINDING MECHANISM Filed April 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 r NVEA/TOR. TLBY 2% l AiTORNEY May 15. 1928. 1,669,575

A F SANFORD RADIO STATION FINDING MECHANISM Filed April 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 JINVENTOR.

A TTORNEY Patented May 15, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,669,575 PATENT 'oFFiCE.

ALFRED F. SANFORD, 0F KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE.

EADIO STATION-FINDING MECHANISM.

Application filed April 2, 1925. .Serial m. 20,288.

This invention relates generally to mechanism in radio receiving sets, which mechanism is used for finding sending stations. The invention relates particularly to means for finding various sending stations and then placing ,on the apparatus devices or symbols indicating the position of some member of the finding mechanism when a certain sending station-has been found under certain conditions, to the end that that station can afterward be found or brought into tune merely by returning said member to said position and without trial or experimenting.

The object of the invention is to produce in convenient and efficient form such a mechanism adapted to function in this manner.

The drawings show my improved mechanism applied to atwo factor radio set.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a radio receiving set embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar elevation, parts of the mechanism being omitted;

Fig. 3 is an upright section on the line, i33, of Figs. 1 and 2, looking toward the eft:

Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of a pinion body;

Fig. 4 is an approximately horizontal section on the line, 44, of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line, 55. of Figs. 3 and 4;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line. 66, of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 7 is a section on line, 7.7, of Figs. 1 and 2, looking toward the right;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line, 88 of Figs. 1 and 2. i

Referring to the drawings, A is the front upright wall of a casing or cabinet forming a part of a radio set. In that wall is a horizontal hearing, A. In that bearing is an axle or shaft, B, which is connected with the condenser or other tuning member (not shown) for turning the condenser. In front of the wall. A. a disc or turntable, B surrounds and is keyed to the axle, B, the hub, B of the turntable resting against the front face of the wall. A. In front of the turntable and resting loosely against the same, a pinion body. C, loosely surrounds the shaft. B. The rear part of said body has radial teeth forming a pinion, C In front B. Th-is dial body is of the form which is 1 usually fastened to such shafts for turning said shafts. The outer face of said body may be provided with graduations to which reference is to be made for determining positions into which the heads are turned. In the present case, the graduations are not needed.

A rack bar. D, having a handle D, is placed parallel to the-front face of the wall, A, and the turntable, B and in mesh with the pinion. C and is held in position on the turntable by guide members, D which are fixed to the outer face of the turntable and extend over the back and front faces of the rack bar, whereby endwise reciprocation of the rack bar on the turntable is permitted, such reciprocation turning the pinion body, C. This arrangement also permits giving the rack bar'a rocking movement inan upright plane which is parallel to the front wall, A, whereby the turntable and the shaft, B, are partially turned,-this'rocking movement being on the axis of the shaft. If, during this rocking movement, the rack bar is held against sliding endwise on the turntable, the body, C, will also be partially turned in unison with the turntable as though said body were fixed on the turntable or on-the shaft, B. But during such rocking movement, the rack bar may be made to slide endwise in the proper direction and at the'proper velocity to allow the body, C, to remain stationary while the shaft, B, and the turntable undergo a'partial turning movement. Furthermore, during the rocking movement of the rack bar, the rack bar may be given a slower movement than is needed to keep the body. C, stationary,

.whereby said body and said arm undergo a relatively slow turning movement during the rocking of the rack bar; or the rack bar may be given a faster endwise movement than is required to keep the body, C, station- I ary, said body thus undergoing a corre spondingly fast partial turning movement.

Thus the rack bar and the body, C, may be given a varied positioning by using the rack bar as the prime mover or themember to which power is applied for its two movev C, is compelled to move or turn in unison with the turntable, B, as though the body, C, were fixed to the turntable. But, if during such turning of the dial bod B the rack bar is allowed to move or mad; to move endwise at the proper speed, the body, C, may remain stationary; or if the rack bar is allowed to move or made to move endwise at some other speed, the body, G, will be turned correspondingly.

rounded by If power is ap lied to the body, C, for turning it while t e turntable, B is not allowed to turn, the rack bar, D, will be moved endwise; but if the rack bar is held against endwise movement on the turntable, this movement of the body, 0, will cause the turntable and the shaft, B, and the dial body, B, to turn in unison with the body, C. But if the rack bar is allowed to move endwise at a velocity other than the velocity needed for allowing the tu ntable to remain stationary, then the turntable and the shaft, B, and the dial body, B, will receive acorrespondin turning.

From t e foregoing it will be seenthat these several members, associated in the manner shown and described, may produce or be put through a large variety of relatively direct or single movements and a large variety of. compound movements.

At the right of the mechanism thus far described, a shaft, F, like the shaft, B, lies rotatably in the bearing, A. Said shaft connects with the regenerator or tickler or other tuning memberv (not shown). In frontof the wall, A, the shaft, F is sura spacing block, F, the rear face of which rests against the wall, A. In front of said block, a spur gear wheel, F, surrounds and is keyed to the shaft, F. A

gear rack, E, is placed parallel to the wall,

and across and inengagement with the wheel, F, and the teeth,'C, of the'pinion body, C. Thus the rack bar, E, is in a plane forward of the plane of the -rack bar, D, and is approximately horizontal and croses the rack bar -D. Adjacent the spur gear wheel, F, is a ui'de wheel, E having against the; back of'the rack bar. By this flanges, E, one which is at the ront and the other ofwhich is at the rear of the rack bar, E. The-body of said guide wheel bears eeann means, the rack bar is held-in engagement with the spur gear wheel, F. At its left hand end, the rack bar, E, extends through a forked guide, E (Figs. 1, 2 and 8). Between the spur ear wheel, F, and the pinion body, 0, another guide, E. is applied to the rack bar, E. (Figs. 1, 2and 6). By means of these guide members and its engagement with the pinion body, C, and the spur gear wheel, F, the rack bar, E, is limited to endwise reciprocatory movement; and that movement must take place in conjunction with corresponding or simultaneous rotation or partial rotation of the pinion body, C, and the spur gear wheel, F.

On the shaft, F is a dial body, E, like the dial body, B on the shaft, B. This dial body, E is fixed to the shaft, F Thus said body may be turned for turning the shaft.

Now it will be seen that endwise movement of the rack bar, D, will cause rotation of the pinion body, G, and that will cause endwise movement of the rack bar, E, and that will cause rotation of the spur gear wheel, F, the direction of that rotation depending upon the direction of movement of the rack bar, E. Turning the gear wheel, F, will cause the turning of the shaft, F which, as above described, is connected with the regenerator or tickler or other tuning member (not shown).

It will also be seen thatif the dial body, E is engaged and turned, the gear wheel, F, will be turned, and that will cause the endwise movement of a rack bar, E, and that will cause the turning of the pinion body, C, and that will cause the endwise movement of the rack bar, D, on the turntable, B. Since the gear wheel, F, is shown of larger diameter than; the diameter of the pinion body, C, the body, C, will then be rotated faster than the rotation of the wheel, F. But it is to be understood that the relative diameters of the wheel, F, and the body, C, may be varied to attain desired results.

As is well known in the radio art, for receiving from a certain sending station, the receiving instrument of the type described is tuned by turning the shafts, B and F. In this apparatus, the turning of these two shafts is made to move the rack bar, D, endwise and to rock or tilt said bar on the axis of the shaft, B, this latter being a. movement in a plane parallel to the turntable and 'the front wall. A, oft-he apparatus. These two movements place the upper end of the rack bar, D, in a certain position when ,the tuning for the desired sending station has been accomplished. Then that position is marked on the wall, A,,o r on a card, A, filaced against the front face of said wall a afterthe receiving apparatus may be tuned ove the shafts, B and F. Theieiao for the same sendiiigstation by turning the dial body, E until, the upper end of the rack bar, D, is out from the shaft, B, as far as the mark indicating that sending station and manually tilting said rack bar, D. until its upper end is at said mark. Obviously. tilting of the rack bar may precede its endwise'movement, or the two movements may be carried on simultaneously or alternately until the upper end of the rack bar, D, is again at the mark indicating the sending station. It the two movements are carried on simultaneously. the upper end of the rack bar will take a course which is a resultant of the two movements.

' Usually the instrument may be lH WOlkable tune under some variation of adjustment of the two shafts. \Vlien workable adjustmentsubject to "ariation has been attained, then by slightly varying that adjustment the best tuning can be found. The.

original marking on the wall. A, or on the card, A, is to be extended to correspond to the course taken by the upper endofthe rack bar, D, during such variation of adjustment. By experiment, it has been found that usually such extended marking takes the form of a curved line. On the card. A of the drawings. these curved lines are designated, G, G and'G To each such line there may also be applied the arbitrary sym bol designating the sending station or the name or wave length number of the station may be applied to said line. But sometimes workable adjustment is had at only one point to be designated by a dot.

If a wave length number is applied. that will aid in approximately finding another station of nearly the same wave length. If two such numbers have been applied. a sta-' tion having an intermediate wave length calls forplacing the pointer somewhere be tween those two recorded numb rs.

It will be observed-that the use ofeither dots or curves according to the nature of the set used. makes this-deviceone which will afford the operator a quick method of both tuning the set for any recorded station by moving the end of the rack bar, D. to correspond with the dot which automatically properly adjusts both tuning shafts and in regenerative sets where the curve appears. of

quickly both finding the station by placing the end of the rack bar, D. at any point on the curve, and then quickly finding the best tuning adjustment for that station un der receivingcondition's at that time by tracing the" curve with'the end of the rack bar, D,until the best tuning combination results. i H Y c As the placing of these lines, or dots, for approximately the same wave length, progressesg fromtime to tim'e,they will take various positions on' the card, A on a course which is approximately concentric to the shaft. B. On the card Afare three such courses or markings, the outer being designated by G, the intermediate by G, and the inner by G This use of the rack bar, D, gives that bar the character or function of a pointer. On the side of the rack bar, D, are an outer side pointer, D and an inner side pointer, D The side pointers are used for locating the markings, G and the markings, G If so desired, the intermediate and the inner courses may be used for indicating sending stations operating on shorter wave lengths' If so desired, the outer course may be used when the wave length switch has been set for the longer wave lengths, the intermediate or middle course, G being used when the wave length switch has been set for the intermediate lengths, and the inner course, G being used when the switch has been set for the shorter range of wave lengths.

The outer face of the wall, A, or the card, A constitutes a recording surface .behind the rack bar or pointer, D. The drawings show the card, A of semi-circular form. Any suitable fastening or clamping devices, A, may be applied to the card and the front wall, A, to secure the card on said wall. These devices, A*, are preferably of a form which will permit releasing and'removing the card and substituting a new one. The drawings show the card cut away around the guides, E and E.

By way of review, let it be stated that the rack bar or pointer, D, is in operative relation with both the shaft, B, and the shaft F and that endwise movement of said bar is related to turning of the shaft, F and the interior member controlled by said shaft, and that the tilting of said bar is related to the turning of the shaft, B. and the interior member controlled by said shaft. This mechanism provides for the control of both shafts, B and F by one hand grasping the handle, D, of the rack bar, 1).

It will be understood that the operative relation of these several parts may be effected by the substitution or additon of members known in the mechanical art.

I claim as my invention,

1. In a radio mechanism, the combination of two shafts tolbe turned for tuningga pointer, and means in operative relation with said pointer and with said shafts whereby turning of one of said shafts and movement of the pointer in one direction are 2. In aradio mechanism, the combination i of two shafts to turned for tuning, a

. said pointer and with said shafts whereby turning of one of said shafts and movement of the pointer in one direction are simultaneous and whereby turning of the other shaft and movement of the pointer in another direction are simultaneous, and whereby said four movements may be effected simultaneously, the movement of the pointer becoming the resultant of the movement associated with the one shaft and the movement associated with the'other shaft, substantially as described.

3. In a radio mechanism,the combination with two shafts concerned with tuning, a rack bar serving as a pointer and being in operative relation with one of said shafts for tilting with the turnin of said shaft, and means in operative re tion with said rack bar and the other shaft for transmission of motion between the rack bar and the other shaft, substantially as described.

4. In aradio mechanism, the combination of two shafts concerned with tuning, a rackdescribed. I

5. In a radio mechanism, the combination of two shafts concerned with tuning, a rack ar serving as a pointer and being in 015- erative relation with one of said shafts for tilting with the turning of said shaft, a

body rotatable on said shaft and in operative relation with said rack bar and with the other shaft for transmitting motion between I said other shaft and said rack 'bar, substanmission of motion between the -and the second shaft, substantially as described. I

tially as described. 6. In a radio mechanism, the combination of two shafts concerned with tuning, a rack bar serving as a pointer and being 1n operative relation with the first shaft for tlltmg with the turning of said shaft, a pinion body rotatable on the first shaft and inoperativerelation with said rack bar, and means placing said pinion body in operative relation with thesecond shaft for transmission of motion between the inion body and the second shaft, substant-ia ly as described. 7. In a radio mechanism, the combination of two shafts concerned with tuning, a rack bar serving as a pointer and being in operative relation with the first shaft for tilting with the turning of'said shaft, a pinion body rotatable on the-first shaft and in opera- Q tive relation with said rack bar,.and a second rack bar in operative relation with said pinion body and the second shaft for transpinion body 8. In a radio mechanism, the, combination of two shafts concerned with tuning, a rack bar serving asI-"a pointer and being in operative relation with one of said shafts for tilting with the turning of said shaft, a pinion body rotatable on said shaft and in operative relation with said rack bar, a co wheel fixed on the second shaft, and a rac bar connecting said cog wheel and said pinion body, substantially as described.

9. In a radio mechanism, the combination of two shafts to be turned for tuning, a turntable fixed on the first of said shafts, a pointer supported on the turntable parallel to the latter and confined for endwise sliding, and means in operative relation with said pointer and with the second shaft for transmission of motion between said pointer and table and guided thereon for endwise movement, and means in operative relation with said rack bar and the second shaft for transbar supported on and parallel to the turnmission of motion between the rack bar and the second shaft, substantially as described.

11. In a radio mechanism, the combination of two shafts concerned with tuning,.a turntable fixed onone of said shafts, a rack bar supported on and parallel to the turntable and guided thereon for endwise movement, and a second rack bar in operative relation with the other shaft and the first rack'bar for transmitting motion between the second. shaft and the first ra 1: bar, substantially as described. i

12. In a radio mechanism, the combination of two shafts concerned with tuning, a turntablefixedonone of said shafts, a rack bar supported on and parallel to the turntable and guided thereon for endwisevmov'ement, a

a pinion body rotatable on the first shaft and i a in operative relation with said rack bar, and means placing'said pinion body in operative relation with the other shaft for transmis sion of motion'between the pinion body and the second shaft, substantially as described; 14.In a radio mechanism, the combination of two shafts concerned with tuning, a turntable fixed on one of said shafts, a rack bar supported on and parallel to the turntable and guided thereon for endwise movement, a pinion body rotatable on the first shaftbodyrotatable on saidshaft and in erasand in operative relation with said rack bar, and a second rack bar in operative relation with said pinion body and the second shaft for transmission of motion between the pinion body and the second shaft, substantially as described. a

15. In a radio mechanism, the combination of two shafts concerned with tuning,a turntable fixed, on one of said shafts, a rack bar supported on and parallel to the turntable and guided thereon for endwise movement, a pinion body rotatable on said shaftrand in operative relation with said rack bar, a cog wheel fixed on the second shaft, and a rack bar connecting said cog wheel and said pinion body, substantially as described..

16. In a radio mechanism, the combination of two shafts to be turned for tuning, a turntable fixed on the first of said shafts, a rack bar supported on the turntable parallel to the latter and confined for endwise sliding, and means in operative relation with said rack bar and with thesecond shaft for transmission of motion between said rack bar and the second shaft, substantially as 7 described.

17. In a radio mechanism. the combination with two shafts concerned with tuning, a turntable fixed on the first of said shafts, a rack bar supported on and parallel to the turntable and guided thereon for endwise movement, and means in operative relation with said rack bar and the second shaft for transmission of motion between the rack bar and the other shaft, substantially, as described. v a

18. In a radio machinism,the combination of two shafts to be turned for tuning, an endwise movable, plural pointer,and means in operative relation with said pointer and with said shafts whereby turning one of said shafts and movement ofvthe pointer in one direction are simultaneous and whereby turning of the other shaft and movement of the pointer in another direction are simul-' taneous, the direction of one of the pointer movements beingv transverserto the direction of the other pointer movement, substantially as described.

19. In 'a radio mechanism, the combination of two shafts to be turned 'for tuning, a plural pointer and means inoperative relation with said pointer and with said shafts whereby turning of one {of said shafts and movement of the pointer in one direction are simultaneous and whereby turning of the other shaft and movement of the pointer in another direction are simultaneous, ,and whereby said four movements may be .eifected simultaneously the movement of the pointer becoming the resultant of the movement associated with the one shaftand the movement associated with 5thegother shaft, substantially as described 20. In a radio mechanism,t he combination I 25. In a radio receiving of two shafts concerned with tuning,- a rack bar having a lateral pointer and being in operative relation with one of said shafts for tilting with the turning of said shaft, and means in operative relation with said rack barand the other shaft for transmission of motion between the rack bar and the other shaft, substantially as described.

21. In a radio mechanism, the combination of two shafts concerned with tuning, a rack bar having a plurality of lateral pointers and being in operative relation with oneof said shafts for tilting with the turning of said shaft, and means in operative relation with said rack bar and the 'othershaft for transmission of motion between the racklbar and the other shaft, substantially as described.

22. In a radio mechanism, the combination 'of two shafts to be turned for tuning, a

pointer, means in operative relation with said pointer and with said shafts whereby turning of one of said shafts and movement of the pointer in one direction are simultaneous and whereby turning of the other 7 shaft and movement of the pointer in another direction are simultaneous, the direction of one ofthe pointer movements being transverse to the direction of the other pointer movement, and a recording surface behind the pointer, substantially as describedr e v v 23. In a radio mechanism, the combination of two shafts to be turned for tuning, a pointer, means in operative relation with saidpointer and with said'shafts whereby turning of one of said shafts and movement of the pointer in one'direction are simultaneous and whereby turning of the other shaft and movement of the pointer in another direction arefls'imultaneous, the direction ofgone of the pointer movements being transverse to" the direction of the other pointer movement, and -a card. behind the pointer, substantiall as described. e

24. In a radio receiving mechanism, the

combination of twotuningmembers and-a -bers being in: diverse courses, whereby the position ofthe indicating member when the tuning nembers have been brought into tuning position will be a resultant of suchdiversemovements of the indicating member, substantially; as described.

combination with two tuning members and a member having a record surface,.of an indicating member, means connected with one tuning member, and means connected with apparatuspthe 1 tane9usly moving the indicating member the other tuning member for relatively moving the indicator and the record surface member in relation to the tuning members, such relative movement of the indicating member and the record surface member bein on one course when that movement is in re ation to the movement of one of the tuning members and on another course when such 'relative movement of the indicating member and the record surface member is related to the other tuning member, substantially as described.

26. In a radio receiving mechanism, the

, combination with two tuning members, a

pointer, a sup ort on which said pointer may be tilted or e moved endwise, means in operative relation with one of the tuning members for tilting the pointer on said support, and means in operative relation with the other tuning member for moving the pointer endwise on said support,substantialIy as described.

27. In a; radio receiving apparatus, the combination with two tuning members, of an indicating member, means for simultaneously moving the indicating member and one tuning member, and means for simuland the other tuning member, the direction of movement of the indicatin member in relation with one of the tumng members being transverse to the direction of movement of the indicating member in relation with the other vtuning member whereby the pos tion of the indicating member is made to indicate the positions of the two tuning members when said members have been brought into tuning position, substantially as described.-

28. In a radio receiving apparatus, the combination with two tunmg members, of an .mdicatmg member and two means in operative relation with the indicatin memher and the tun ng members to provide for compound movement of the indicating member m relation with the movements of the members, theresultant of. such comtumng poun movement'of the indicating member giving said member a position indicating the positions of the tuning members when move-;

ments ofthe tuning members have ceased, substantially as described.

29. In a radio receiving mechanism. the

combination with two tuning members and an indicating member, means lac the indicating member into 0 rative .re ation with one tuning member or simultaneous movement, the movementof the indicating member bei "in one course,and means placthe indicating member intooperative i r dfiition with the other tuning member forsimultaneous movement, the movement of the indicating member being on ano er course, of a member bearin a marking inv dlmtll lg the position to-whi the eeann member is to be brought by movements of the two tuning members, whereby each tuning member is brought into tune with the sending apparatus of the sending station represented by 'said marking, substantially as described. 7 p

30. In a radio receiving mechanism, the

combination with two tuning members and b an indicating member, means lacin the indicating member into operative re ation with one tuning member for simultaneous movement, the movement of the indicating member being in one course, and means plac ing the indicating member into operative relation with the other tuning member for simultaneous movement the movement of the indicating member being on another'course, of a member bearing a marking representing a sending station, said marking being on a course to which the indicating member is to be brought by movement in relation with one tuning member andin which course the indicating member is to be located by movement in relation with the other tuning member, whereby each tuning member is brought into tune with the sending station represented by that marking, substantially as described.

31. In a radio receiving' mechanism, the combination of two tuning members, a member bearin markings indicating curved courses, an indicating member, means placing said member into positive and independent operative relation with one of the tuning members for movement of the indicat ng member in one course, and means placing the indicating member into positive and cate on said surface the positions of said tuning members, substantially as described.

'33. In a radio receiving mechanism, the combination with a plurality of tuning members, of amember bearing a record surface, an indicating'member adjacent said surface and shiftable relative to said surface, means" for shifting said member" in one course in fixed relation'to one of said tuning members, andineans for shifting said indicating member in another course in fixed relation to another of /said tuning members, substant as s a s lOl llt

Ill

" placing the pointer into operative relation with the other tuning member for moving the pointer endwise in unison with movement of said other tuning member, substantially as described.

35. In a radio receiving mechanism, the combination of a stationary member bearing a record surface of ample area to adapt it to receive numerous records of positions of two tuning members, a first tuning member located adjacent said record surface, a pointer in operative relation with said first tuning member for sweeping across said sur-- face simultaneously with the turning of said tuning member, a second tuning member adapted-to be brought into tune with the first tuning member, and means movable with the second tuning member for moving the pointer endwise to indicate the position of that member, whereby the same record surface may receive numeous records each of which indicates in close association positions of the tuning members when in tune with each other and with sending stations, substantially as described.

36. In a radio receiving apparatus, the combination of a member having a record surface, two tuning members, an indicating member, independent means in operativerelation with one of the tuning members and the indicating member to eli'ect movement of the indicating member in one direction relative to movement of one of the tuningmembers, and means in operative relation with the indicating member and the other tuning member to efiect movement of the indicating member in a direction transverse to the other movement of the indicating member. 1 i

37 In a radio receiving mechanism, the combination with a plurality of independently movable tuning members, of indicating means, actuating means in operative relation with one of the tuning members and the indicating means for imparting movement of said indicating means, and actuating means in operative relation with the indicating means and the other tuning member for imparting a different movement'to the indicatmg means, whereby the position of said tuning members may be indicated on the same area for convenient observation.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name, this 31st day of March, in the year one thousand nine hundred and twenty-five.

ALFRED F, SANFORD. 

